It is easy to determine that here in America we crave a simpler way of living. Take a few minutes to browse around Pinterest, Facebook, or look in the latest self-help book and you will see a dozen and ten ways to live a more simple lifestyle.
So why then do we not have it? Why do we not live a simple life? I mean technically, it is not hard. You just live within your means, do not buy crap you do not need/want/use, and you will be happy. So why are we not?
Contentment, plain and simple contentment. We want a simple life but we are not even content with the lives we currently have. We are not blooming where we are planted. Instead, we are relocating our wants so often that we cannot grow anything but weeds.
This is where I am currently. My hubs and I have a huge goal of owning a homestead, 100 percent debt-free. It is a big goal. We want a homestead of no less than sixty acres and we want to actually be able to live off the land, which means expensive equipment like tractors, cattle, and a house for us to live in. It is going to take us a little while to get there.
If you follow my goals update posts, you know that we are attempting to pay off my student loans this year. After those loans are paid for, the only debt we will have will be our mortgage. We are nowhere near the homestead dream yet and that is where my problem is.
I want it now. I want to live on that homestead right now. I want to walk out my front door and trip over a chicken while I am walking to the barn to go milk the cow (which, I have never milked a cow before so why I really cannot wait to do this I have no idea….). I do not want to have to wait the possible ten-plus years it is going to take to live out our dream of a debt-free simple life on our homestead.
I am discontent. I am discontent with where I currently am in my life because I have fallen victim to the marketing that has instilled in me the instant gratification mindset. Three years ago, my hubs and I did not have the dream of a homestead. We just wanted to own a house like everyone else and keep up with the Joneses. We bought our home with no intention of moving or selling it in the next twenty years. Then after some very long late-night talks, we both realized that we wanted something different. We wanted to live the life of homesteaders. We have made plans to get us there but these plans are going to take years to play out.
That is the problem with setting goals and that is why we so often fail to achieve them. We are so caught up in wanting to achieve the goal right now that we forget that long-term goals take time. Long-term goals are met because numerous short-term goals were met along the way to meeting the long-term goal.
I can spot discontentment quickly in others. Looking at what others pin on Pinterest or their Facebook status updates will let you know just how discontent they are. Problem is, that I have trouble identifying discontentment within myself. Maybe you have the same problem. I think most of us do.
Part of my goals this year is to keep a gratitude journal and to actually live my life, not just run the race. Keeping a gratitude journal has proven to me my discontent and has made me have to find contentment with where I am currently, because where I am right now is not half bad, it is a great place to be. The happiest people on this earth are the ones that are content, truly content. They no longer buy into the “you are what you drive” mentally. They do not care if your car costs what they make in a year and they do not care if your house is fifteen times larger than theirs is, because they are content with where they are. They do not have time for the comparison game and keeping up with what the Joneses are going broke over.
If you are discontent with where you are in life right now, look around you and find hope, peace, and something to live for. Chances are there is contentment somewhere near you. “If you aren’t content in your current house, you won’t be content in the spare bedroom of your next house”, wise words spoken by Dave Ramsey. I am working on finding contentment with the fact that it will be a while before we are living the homestead dream. I encourage you if you are discontent to find contentment and to bloom where you are planted.
Where are you working on finding contentment?
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Contentment is an hourly struggle for me. When I find myself wanting I try to think of all the things I have to be grateful for (which is a lot!). I can understand your longing to live off the land and wanting to buy a piece of property debt free is a worthy goal to work towards. I hope all goes well for you!
Thank you Missy!
It’s so easy to forget how happy you are with what you already have. We’re trying to figure out what exactly we want from those Pinterest lives and try to get that from what we have now. I want to live in a tiny house, so I’m trying to declutter and make our home more efficient. We want to move back into town to be in a walkable neighbourhood near family, so we’re trying to build a community where we live. It helps make our someday life happen a little more and more each day.
LOVE that Emily! You’re building your someday life where you currently are – such inspiration! 🙂
We are healthy, we get along well, we have an amazing baby daughter. WE ARE HAPPY. Sure, we need more money, we’d love to travel more etc. But we think about what we have and are grateful. As long as we are strong and well, we can accomplish anything.
I love this post…so much hits home with me. I was living my life with no contentment whatsoever. Recently I had a moment where I realized that I am only going to live once. I told myself to live everyday like it was a special day. I have always been into photography and recently got into sewing. With both of those passions, I have opened Etsy shops for both and am so very content with what I am putting out there. I don’t care if I make money, but I just love doing what I am now doing! Thank you for sharing this.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleMissyClothing
https://www.etsy.com/shop/KristinoftheSierras
That is amazing Kristin! It is amazing how much better ours lives get when we decide to chose contentment. 🙂
Wise words, Jessi! Contentment really is the major underlying issue in us not being able to enjoy life to the fullest. I love what you said about long term goals taking time — so hard to remember when we live in a “want it now” culture!
Thank you Kalyn! 🙂
Jessie, I was there too with wanting now! I didnt had the patience to wait and fell in the trap of not being happy with my life now. I am over it now, but I learned(lots of prayers) to be patience and LIVE the moment every second of it.
Thanks for sharing it!
Thank you Yasmina! I’m so happy to hear of your success! 🙂
I love Dave Ramsey. Contentment is key. Bigger, better, more is not the answer. Neither is selling it all (sometimes). We need to find the peace that comes with being content in the present moment so we can see clearly what changes need made.
So true Danielle!
Such a well written post! Finding contentment is a lifelong journey. Some people are mindful enough to find it young and make sure they keep recognizing it consistently while others search (many times in the wrong places) without much of a clue as to what they are really looking for. Once your figure it out….mind blown.
Thank you Brittany! 🙂
Great post! I too have been trying to write more in my gratitude journal. I hope to get through my personal debt this year with a content & grateful heart. I also listen to Dave Ramsey and I have found peace in not keeping up with the Joneses.
I would have to say that I am content now. I do have goals and dreams (like traveling the country in our very own RV!) but I appreciate everything that I have and every experience I have lived.
I have bad days, plenty of them, but for the most part I live a very happy life 🙂
I really enjoyed your post and I hope you get to milk your first cow some day real soon!
Hahahahha! Thank you Michelle! 🙂 Traveling the country in an RV sounds amazing!
I think people want simple life, with everything else. We want a life that is simple, but with iPhone and wireless internet.
It’s the same thing with God. We want to be happy, but to be our own lords and masters. We want to have God, and keep our own will.
We are unable to see who is the real slave, who is the real slaver, and what are the real chains that keep us from the freedom.
So very true Joanna!
So true! It’s really easy to get so caught up in where we’re heading that we forget to enjoy where we are. I’ve noticed this especially with my children. Although I loved the baby stage, I often thought, “Oh, when they can just do…. things will be so much easier.” Lately though, I’ve come to realize that they grow way too fast to wish away any stage. I’m trying to enjoy each day instead of wishing for something else.
Thanks for this! #SITSBlogging
So true Lauren! I’ve caught myself wishing away the stages of life and I really shouldn’t.
You are so right! We all struggle with contentment, even as bloggers! We want whatever the “it” thing is in the moment, at that moment and setting long-term goals is a struggle because of their inherent nature, i.e., they are “long-term”! But if we stay focused and continue to strive toward our long-term goals, achievement will follow! Good luck to you, Jessi! Following from Small Victories Sunday and pinning to Pinterest!
Thank you Carole! 🙂
My sister told me something once that resonated with me “There is peace in contentment.” And it’s true. And don’t give up. I have that homestead. I literally tripped over a chicken and then stepped in poop this morning!
I love that Lydia! Thank you so much for the encouragement! 🙂
I am fairly content in life. My husband is a marketers dream, and I have to remind him on occasion that he’s falling for advertising, and he almost always hates it when he buys from those ploys.
I do get frustrated, not because I don’t have a Pinterest worthy home, but because it’s not always as clean as I would like it! I guess you could say I struggle with “lack of maid” discontentment! Ha!
Hahahah! I understand the lack of maid of discontentment! I really want one of those roombas (or whatever they’re called) so I don’t have to clean my floors 17 times a day….:-/
I have been working on my small victories and gratitude since starting my blog 4 years ago. Trying to focus on the good I have versus what I can’t. It has certainly made me happier and led me out of needing medicine for depression. Thanks for sharing this important reminder with Small Victories Sunday linkup. Pinned to our linkup board
This article really hit home with me. I’m sure it has hit home with a lot of people. When I was in my early twenties I was very much about keeping up with the Joneses. I grew up in a neighbourhood where the families had more money then mine. It was so difficult to see my friends getting everything they wanted. When I started working, I started to spend like crazy, I felt like I could finally keep up. Unfortunately, at 28 I’m still paying for those mistakes financially. Although I am happier with my life now, I have a home, a loving fiancée, 2 cats and a dog. We have a great life but I still dream of tomorrow and wanting that big old farm house with animals and children running around. One day we will meet this goal but in the meantime I work to be content with my now.
I have found that despite financial difficulties, I am happy. I have everything I need or could ever want. It would be nice to have piles of cash to throw at debt, but I know we’ll get there. In the meantime, I am content. Thanks for sharing this. I loved reading your perspective.
Thank you Darla! 🙂